of Girls and Ghouls
by Truly Original
Summary: It's Halloween and the ghouls are out. When Sakura Haruno reluctantly goes to the hottest party of the year, it irrevocably changes her life forever. What will she do when her trick and treat turns into a very strange meet and greet?


1 I wrote this one on Halloween but never got around to posting it. This is a finished story that I will post on chapter at a time.

(A.N.) Naruto does not belong to me and therefore am not receiving any gain from writing it, other that the gratification of my muse. Naruto belongs to Kishimoto and his affiliates. I am just borrowing them to amuse myself.

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**Of Girls and Ghouls: Part One**

Sakura shivered as she took stepped Ino's personal space, in an effort to gain some comfort from her. Even as she stood in line, dressed in her Little Red Riding Hood costume, an outfit that bordered on daring, –courtesy of the blonde that was her best friend- every instinct she had screamed at her to leave. The Wisteria Manor's 'All Hallows Eve' costume party was the most anticipated every year. People would line up early and around the block, as the long lines expanded, just for the minute chance that they could go in. Only one percent of the hundreds of people ever got in. Those who did spoke of it being the most awesome party they would ever attend.

Ino had been determined to try this year in spite of Sakura's reservations. Sakura was wary about entering the mansion or even talking to the people who were seen leaving it. Something about both the massive house and the people scared her. But despite her everything in her telling her to leave, she knew that even if she left Ino would stay and she wasn't about to leave her friend alone in a suspicious place.

So here she was, freezing, her butt off, waiting in a line to enter a place she didn't even want to pass on her way to school. Sakura could feel the blonde's excitement and she tried not to roll her eyes when she spoke of how cool it would be when they got in. The woman had so much confidence that it surpassed normal standards. When they got in, not if they got in.

Only maybe ten people would be picked out of the crowd of four-hundred and she believed that she had what it took. As Sakura studied her she realized that she probably did. Ino was tall and slender; her curves were shown off by the cut of the purple gown she wore cut in the style of the fifteenth century. The low neckline of her gown gave everyone an enhanced view of her cleavage. Her long lustrous hair hung in a riot of blonde curls. Her face was classically beautiful and makeup set off her already wide blue eyes. If the bouncers at the front door were male, and they most certainly were, she would definitely be allowed entrance. Once Ino's obvious beauty used to irritate Sakura and to be honest sometimes it still did. But most of the time she could accept that although her features, with her pink hair and green eyes, were striking that the blonde was prettier than her.

Sakura was snapped out of her thoughts by the sudden grip her friend had on her arm. She looked at her companion and saw a look of smug anticipation cross her face. "Ino? What is it?"

"The bouncers are walking the line to see if there is anybody they want to let in before they close it down. The line is only ever open for two hours before they stop letting people in. Now is our chance to be noticed." Ino reached over and yanked the red cloak away from Sakura's shoulders and reached her hands around to her front to hike her breasts up to show more of them.

"Ino", Sakura hissed as her face flushed in embarrassment. She pushed her hands away and shoved chest back into her dress.

"What?"

Green clashed with blue as she gave her friend a dirty look.

"Oh, please! Stop being such a prude. Every female, but you are doing it."

The pink haired young woman, looking around at the crowd, discovered that she was right. Women everywhere were making alterations to the way their bodies sat in their costumes in hopes that they'd be noticed. She scowled. 'That doesn't mean that I have to follow their example.' Crossing her arms under her chest she just waited until the tall, ridiculously handsome bouncer, dressed in an expensive looking black suit, with long dark hair and an intimidating demeanor, appeared at the end of the queue.

He seemed to be looking for something; his chin was up a few notches higher than normal. As he moved closer to where he stood she could see that his eyes weren't landing on the waiting people more than a second before he moved on. Costumed groups were leaving in disappointment as another bouncer, with slicked back platinum hair, violet eyes, and a malicious grin waved them away and told the more stubborn argumentative ones to ",beat it or I'll beat the fuck outta' you."

There were only a few people left be the time the first bouncer reached the women just before Ino and her. He inhaled deeply; she could see his broad chest rise and fall with his breath. His head tilted to the side slightly as he took another deep breath. A brow arched as he walked right past the group in front of them and stopped right in front of Ino, who Sakura was partially hidden be her larger frame. "What are you doing in the line," he asked in a calm, deep voice, "Invited guests always enter through the back." The inflection he put in the word invited, suggested that she should know that.

Ino scowled in confusion. "What are you talking about? I didn't receive any invitation."

Obsidian eyes focused on her for a second before casing his gaze behind her. "Not to be rude, "he said in a way that suggested that he could care less about how rude he was," but it was not you I was referring to." He waved her to the side, a gesture that obviously annoyed Ino, and stood looking at the revealed Sakura.

Sakura stopped in her attempts to slide back behind her human wall, looking like a deer in headlights. "A…Are you talking to me," she asked bemused by the odd situation of someone actually dismissing the model. She pointed the hand, not clutching her prop basket, at herself.

He seemed to sigh with out actually sighing. "Of course I am talking to you. Who else would I be speaking to?" The man didn't give her a chance to speak, instead when he took in the way the two women hovered around the other protectively he said, "I assume that she is your plus one, or is she something to nibble on?"

"Something to nibble on..." Sakura exchanged looks with Ino at the odd question. Did he think that they were dating? "She's my friend and you have me confused with someone else. I've never received an invitation."

That gave him a pause. He stared at her searchingly for a moment, a line forming between his brows as he turned to look at the other bouncer. "Hidan?"

The bouncer named Hidan finished scaring off the others and walked to them. There was an entire conversation in the glances the door guards gave each other. The one named Hidan suddenly stepped into the pink haired woman's personal space and took a breath. Almost as if he smelled her. Freaked out, she tried to back away from him only to have him capture her arm in a strong grip and pull her much closer, until his nose was almost against her throat.

The stiffness of her posture and her exclamation of protest was ignored as he turned back to the other male. "As much it fuckin' hurts me to say it, you're right Uchiha. The bitch is definitely invited. In fact, if my nose serves me right the fucking party's going to be real happy this Bitch has shown up, seriously.

Sakura sucked in a breath at the insult and shoved the man away from her, hard enough to send him landing on his back. She didn't want to be here in the first place and now some jackass was calling her names, invading her personal bubble, and putting his hands on her without permission. Her green eyes were flashing with a temper that was getting the better of her. "Who the hell do you think you're calling a bitch!?" Her confusion was gone; trampled over by her sudden anger. Ino quickly put a hand on her shoulder as if to hold her back.

A quickly as her anger came it died when the man on the ground grinned at her showing strait white teeth. The look was mirrored on a much smaller scale by the man he called 'Uchiha'. Her feisty reaction seemed to amuse them for some odd reason and it baffled her. If someone had knocked her on her butt she'd have been pissed.

"Don't get so fuckin' pissy. It's not as if I called you a cu..."

The darker haired man interrupted before the Hidan could finish. "I apologize for Hidan's vulgar turn of phrase. He rarely speaks a sentence with out offending someone." Uchiha stepped on the sliver haired bouncer as if he didn't even notice him. Ignoring the resulting cussing he held out a hand to his side in a directional manner. "If you will come this way I can show you to the guest entrance."

Sakura eyed him warily. She didn't trust him one bit. What made him think that she was invited in spite of her not receiving an invitation? Why did his creepy friend smell her? Any time a male overlooked Ino it was important to ask some questions. Unfortunately her inquires started and stopped with a most eloquent, "Huh?"

An elbow found its way into her side and she hissed in pain. Turning she locked eyes with the, currently, annoying blonde. "What?"

"Are you nuts," Ino asked in a whisper. She had gotten over her temporary bout of bewilderment and decided to take advantage of the odd situation. Even though the two hot men paid little or no attention to her. "This is our chance to get into one of the hottest parties ever thrown and then watch Karin chew on her own liver when we flaunt it over her. Don't ask stupid questions and make them regret letting you in. This is a chance of a lifetime. If we make a good impression then maybe we'll be invited next year."

"No way! This is too weird. They didn't even ask my name and they think that I'm invited to a party I've tried to avoid. Doesn't that seem a little strange to you?"

"No. Who cares? It's clearly fate. I _belong_ at the year's most talked about social event." When Sakura just looked at her she pleaded, "Please girl. If I get into here then I can make more work contacts and make it big as a model. Like Heidi Klum"

'I'm too soft hearted,' Sakura thought as she could feel herself giving in. She really didn't want to go into that big, creepy house, but modeling had been Ino's dream career ever since her Mom took them to a fashion show when they were eight. Sakura couldn't take away a possible chance for her to make it.

She sighed loudly and Ino smiled triumphantly and enveloped her into a tight grasp when she heard the green-eyed girl murmur, "You're lucky that I'm such a good friend." Sakura endured the hug before she readjusted her red cloak and her basket. Turning she found the placid Uchiha watching the women converse. "Lead the way '_Mon Capitan_.'"

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The house looked even larger from the inside. The ornate vestibule that she found herself standing in was at least ten times the size of the atrium of the little house she had grown up in. The walls were inlaid with a gold leaf, ivy pattern and there were a large set of stairs that trailed up either side of the room leading to the second floor. Black marble made up the expanse of floor and glimmered in the light from the large crystal chandelier that hung from the tall ceiling. The ceiling was decorated with stone cherubim shooting arrows at entwined lovers. The adornments made her cheeks heat up slightly as she realized, upon a closer look as they stepped further into the room, that the depicted lovers' very passionate embrace. Both of the stone beings were nude and in the middle of copulating.

Ino wasn't the slightest bit fazed. In fact she seemed amused as she took it in.

Uchiha, paused the moment he entered the room, head tilted slightly to the ceiling. Suddenly he turned and his thickly lashed eyes focused on Sakura. The handsome man seemed to be looking for something in her face. When he finished his assessment the corners of his mouth turned upward. It wasn't his amused look they had seen earlier instead it was looked as though he were relieved.

Music, soft voices and general merriment filtered in from the next room over. "This is the ballroom," he spoke politely almost deferentially as he gestured to a set of double door on the left. "Most of the festivities will be held inside and you can find beverages and fare as well. Down this hall," he pointed to a corridor opposite the double doors she had failed to notice ",is a restroom that has been set aside for your use. Please enjoy yourselves." As soon as he had finished speaking he bowed low at the waist, the respect in the move startled her. Then he headed down the hallway that he had previously indicated to, his long black hair swishing in tune to his long strides.

For what seemed like the hundredth time that evening Ino and Sakura exchanged looks. Although eager to crash the gathering, Ino appeared to be as nervous as she was, but for different reasons. "How does my costume look? Nothing is out of place, right."

Sakura snorted. Only Ino could be more worried about her looks than the fact that they were in a large creepy house. There were undertones to this situation that she didn't understand and it put her on edge.

"You look great. This costume is a lot better than the Little Ho' Peep costume you originally wanted."

Ino gave her a dirty look. "That's 'Little _Bo _Peep."

"Not in that outfit, you weren't."

"Bitch."

"Hooker."

"Prude."

"Prostitute."

"Why are we still standing here? Shouldn't we join the party?"

"You're the one that wanted to come; so go on in."

Ino glanced furtively at the door and squeezed closer to her. "I don't want to go by myself."

"Ah ha," Sakura exclaimed before realizing how loud she was and hurriedly lowered her voice. "You are just as uncomfortable here as I am," she hissed. "Admit it."

"So," Ino returned defensively. "If I let every tiny feeling rule my life I'd never get a job. Let's go in. If someone comes and finds us just standing here they'll probably suspect that we're up to something." Ignoring Sakura's statement of," You mean something like party crashing," blonde clutched her arm in a grip that rivaled the G.I. Joes. Together they crept to the door.

Ino froze momentarily; breathing the way she did to calm herself before they both grasped a handle and together puller the doors wide open.

Sakura's eyes opened wide in shock.

Of all the things she expected, beer guzzling, half naked women swinging on chandeliers, loud music, this was not it. Sure there was some low background music, but there didn't seem to be any beer at all. In fact there didn't even seem to be that many women. Out of the, near hundred, men there was only about ten women, including Ino and her. All of the men were good-looking in there own way. For instance, one of the men standing closest to her was stocky with thick, sinewy muscles and wild, spiky, blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. Standing next to him was his polar opposite. Tall, with lean muscles, white-pale skin, black eyes, and silky, short, black hair that fell neatly. A fake looking smile was across his pretty face.

The men had just been standing around, drinking something red, -probably dyed for Halloween- and talking to each other. Then after they opened the door the men began to notice Ino, she suspected anyway. Either that or they realized that some random strangers had the balls to crash their shindig. There really wasn't any other reason for their response.

Their eyes widened and jaws dropped all over the room. A few of them even dropped their glasses and there was the loud crashing as they shattered against the ground.

Immediately, both of the party crashers pushed even tighter against each other. The overall reaction was odd. Even for someone as gorgeous as the Ino and she felt thrown off guard.

The blonde leaned down to whisper in her companion's ear. "This is weird. D'you think they know we don't belong here?"

"I don't know," Sakura hissed back. 'I didn't even want to come here remember?"

"Sh!"

Sakura, at the end of her proverbial rope, was about to give in to her fight or flight instincts and turn tail and run when one of the few women in the crown walked over to the. Next to her Ino sucked in a harsh breath of shock.

Sakura had thought Ino was beautiful and she was. When she was stuck next to this woman however... The woman was a head taller than Sakura, even in her heels. Long hair was a midnight blue only ever seen in pain kits. It was twisted high; into an elegant knot she couldn't even have managed on a good day. Her curvy figure was incased in a long black dress that shimmered in the dim lights of the chandeliers overhead. Her skin was alabaster. Her face put to shame those statues of Helen of Troy she had seen at the museum. If Helen's face launched a thousand ships, this woman could have easily launched a million. Full lips, high cheeks bones, and dark blue-green eyes put together a face Leonardo DiVinci would have dumped Mona Lisa for. Randomly glancing around at the gaping crowd Sakura realized a detail she hadn't before; every single one of those women were just a beautiful as her.

The woman smiled in pure joy. "I am so happy that you are here. We have been waiting so long. I thought that we would never find you." There appeared to be some tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, what? I don't think that we've ever met."

"Of course not," the woman said simply. "How could we have met if you were lost?"

Sakura darted a quick glance at Ino for help interpreting what the strange woman was saying, but Ino looked just as dumbfounded as her. This just compounded her instinctive urge to run. She grasped Ino's arm hard. "Right this has been nice and all but you're the third person who seems to think they know me and it is really starting to freak me out. So, I think we'll just be going now."

"No!"

She froze, surprised, as, in one mass, the whole assembly shouted. It happened all at once. The noise seemed to break the frozen silence their appearance seemed to wrought. The men were all grinning and a few of the women had tears pouring down their faces in spite of the big smiles on their faces. They crowded closer and both of them were backing towards the door as they came closer. The strange intensity on their faces scared her and the closer they came the more frightened she became.

Sakura could hear over the excited din the blue haired woman telling them to back off and to not overcrowd her. It never occurred to her that her sudden absolute terror was wrong. That she was this terrified in the face of these odd people's happiness was weird. Just like her irrational fear of coming here tonight.

She was overwhelmed, her unusual fear of this place and this bizarre group of people pushing her towards her limit. Her instinct that told her to run when being chased kicked in, even though they weren't really chasing her. The pink haired girl freaked out and, still clinging to her blonde best friend's arm, turned and ran out the doors, kicking them closed. Her fear seemed to feed Ino's because the blonde wasn't arguing.

Together they high-tailed it to the entrance, determined to leave the party behind.

"Itachi," spoke a voice from behind them. "Don't let her leave!"

Ino reached the door first and wrenched it open, moved to head outside and instead froze. Then fell to the marble floor. Sakura, who went to catch her, stopped dead. She had moved in front of the open door and caught a glimpse of what her blonde friend had seen before she went crashing to the floor.

The handsome bouncer, Uchiha, who had led them to the party stood just outside the door. His cruelly beautiful face was as apathetic as it had been while he and his partner had been dismissing the line. From what she could see in the dark, with only the light of the moon for illumination, he was still dressed in the same immaculate fashion as he was before. There was nothing, she thought randomly, about him that would have made her pass out. Sakura opened her mouth, fully prepared to ask what the hell he did to her. The Uchiha had other plans however and chose that moment to look her dead in the eye and that was when she noticed that something had changed after all. Now instead of pitch black, the man's pretty eyes were now blood red with strange black markings that looked like the fins on a pinwheel.

Her eyes widened and his followed suit. The last thing she saw before her vision filled with darkness was the fins in his eyes spinning rapidly.

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"Did you hurt her?" Konan demanded an answer as she marched to where the blonde and the pretty pink haired female lay unconscious. She ignored the look the oldest son of the Uchiha family gave her. The one that said that she should know better that to ask such a stupid question. She was well aware of what his sharingan was capable of and it was her duty to make sure the young woman remained in tact.

Itachi didn't answer her. Instead he asked quietly, "What happened in the ballroom to frighten her so badly? I could smell it even through my meditation."

Konan knelt down to where she slumped, halfway on her blonde companion and halfway on the ground. She brushed a strand of the woman's silky pink locks away from her face. The resemblance was uncanny although the woman before her had yet to come into her maturity. When her powers ripened, very soon Konan guessed, she would look even more like her mother, vibrant eyes and all.

A slight frown crossed her face. "I do not know. Never before has one of our kind reacted like that to another of our kind. Our natural instincts prompt us to find comfort in our connections to those of our people even if we have never met. And her." Konan gently touched her cheek. "She should have felt it most intensely of us all."

"I found her out in line. When I informed her that those who were invited used the guest entrance, she replied that she never received an invitation. Her scent reeked of confusion as if she didn't understand out code. I doubted my nose for a moment and so had Hidan test her scent. He claimed that she was most assuredly one of us and that she would make everyone here tonight very happy." Itachi's brow knitted, the only sign of his displeasure. "Outside I only caught that she was one of us not that she was related to my Lady. It took the idiot chaos demon to sniff her out. Now, however I can smell her blood as clear as night. How can that be?"

"A spell maybe? Pein warded the ballroom doors against Hunter spells. If she had been near a Hunter and they bound her from any of our kind detecting her bloodline none of us would have sensed it. Even you, with your superior senses would have been ineffective. If such were the case then the demon would have still been able to because they are different from us. The wards on all the possible entrances would have stripped the spells from her. That would be why we can sense her now."

Konan and Itachi exchanged uneasy looks. The idea of a Hunter being near her, of all people, was horrifying.

"I contacted Leader after I lead her to the foyer. He is on his way as we speak."

"Good. I ordered the party to stay in the ballroom until this," she gestured around the general area," was handled." Konan lifted the smaller woman into her arms and passed her off to the Uchiha. "Once he gets here we can discover the mystery surrounding her sudden appearance and our inability to track my Lady's progeny beforehand. Until then take her to the white rooms and make sure that she sleeps comfortably."

"What do you wish to have done with her?" Itachi nodded his head at the other collapsed form still on the ground.

The blue haired woman sighed. "If she came with our young Lady then she will be treated as a guest. I shall put her in the room down the hall from her rooms. When the young Lady wakes up it will be easier to quell her fear of us is we have proof that her friend is unharmed. Keep her sleeping though. I do not want a human of all things wandering through the safe house."

As the man began glide up the stairs Konan bent down and hauled the blonde into her arms as easily as she would a little girl's rag doll. Once the body cleared the doorway she tapped the door shut and watched as the hidden wards flashed a phosphorescent pumpkin orange before disappearing again. She was satisfied that it was intact. Now that young queen in the making was back where she belonged it wouldn't do to have shoddy security.

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I hope that you enjoyed Part One. Part Two shall be up soon. Please review.


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